New Delhi: Apple’s WorldWide Developer Conference (WWDC 2015) is all set to kickstart in San Francisco tonight at 10.30 pm (IST) and while a number of rumours and speculations have been doing the rounds, this year the focus seems to be on Apple's debut in the music streaming market along with the launch of a new iOS version.
As the tech giant gears up for the annual event, we bring to you a roundup of the seven possible announcements the company could make at the two-hour long keynote address:
1.Paid music streaming service: Apple has been long mulling the idea of entering the music streaming industry, according to many industry experts. With Pandora and Spotify doing exceptionally well, it is indeed a potent opportunity for Apple to lure back its customers and provide its iTunes users with a new way of online music listening.
As per reports, the purported service will be called Apple Music and most likely to cost $10 per month. It will be powered by Beats Music, which was acquired by Apple last year. There are also speculations that in a first, there will also be an Android version of the streaming app.
2. iOS update: Apple brought in major overhaul to its iOS experience when it introduced iOS 8 version of its close-sourced operating system. A developer preview of the next version, possibly called iOS 9, is expected to be introduced at the event. With the new iOS the tech giant is expected to focus more on stability and security than radical aesthetic changes witnessed in the previous version. The prime issue that iOS 9 would address is allowing older iPhones and iPads run smoothly after the upgrade.
Other improvements that iOS would include a split-screen or multi-app use feature and improvements in Siri. The digital voice assistant is expected to communicate with other Apple apps such as Passbook, Calendar and Spotlight search, which would finally put it in competition with Google Now.
A multi user support for iPads is also on the cards. This speculated feature will let multiple users to log-in the same device- an addition that can prove beneficial for schools who want to adopt the device-sharing model for teaching.
3. Apple Maps: One of the most interesting speculations is a cross-platform Apple Maps in-the-making. Based on a job posting by the Cupertino, California giant, the company is mulling plans to extend its mapping service beyond its own devices.
If true, this could mean the earlier iOS 6 and OS X 10.9 Mavericks- only app could soon enter the Android world. It is also expected to include public transit directions.
4. New OS for Mac: Along with a new iOS for iPhones and iPads, a new operating system for the Apple Mac is also on the cards. Here again, the focus is said to be more on stability and performance, than any flashy new features. Reports indicate that the upcoming Mac OS (OS X 10.11 perhaps) could be dubbed Gala, however, it is not yet clear if it will continue to be called that. The tech giant has named its previous versions after landmarks in California.
Even as a new OS is highly anticipated, it is unlikely that it will be unveiled tonight, but a public beta by this month has not been ruled out.
5. Apple Watch: Apple’s first consumer product in five years made many a heads turn with its price tag. From $349 to a whopping $17,000, the Apple Watch is expected to get major improvements, including native apps. Native apps would make use of the sensors present in the smartwatch instead of relying just on the synced iPhone. For now, Apple is expected to only announce basic tools for developers to bring that support on the smartwatch.
6.HomeKit: After Google’s Brillo OS project, Apple is expected to talk more about its HomeKit - the platform for smart home connected products Apple announced last year. This month, the first products that are compatible with HomeKit went up for sale.
It is expected that Apple will provide more insight about the new Home app that could come packed with iOS 9, which means you will be able to control HomeKit-certified products, even multiple devices at once, right from your iPhone or iPad.
7. Apple TV: There is no clarity about whether Apple will introduce a new set top box at the event, with some analysts saying that the company has postponed its plans, others still standing by the speculation. It was said that along with a new Apple TV, the company could also unveil an improved remote control for the box and an app dedicated to the device.
Although odds are against the company announcing a new Apple TV, a new streaming TV service has also been speculated, but that is also unlikely to be launched at the event. Howver, we could still hope Apple instead give us more details about the service that would offer various type of video content, including local channels, for $30-$40 per month.
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